Safety & Wellness

This is a sample of Safety & Wellness information for Program Handbooks, as mandated by President Ruth Watkins. All program handbooks should have this or similar language readily accessible to students.

Your safety is our top priority. In an emergency, dial 911 or seek a nearby emergency phone (throughout campus). Report any crimes or suspicious people to 801-585-COPS; this number will get you to a dispatch officer at the University of Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS; dps.utah.edu). If at any time, you would like to be escorted by a security officer to or from areas on campus, DPS will help — just give a call.

The University of Utah seeks to provide a safe and healthy experience for students, employees, and others who make use of campus facilities. In support fo this goal, the University has established confidential resources and support services to assist students who may have been affected by harassment, abusive relationships, or sexual misconduct. A detailed listing of University Resources for campus safety can be found at

Your well-being is key to your personal safety. If you are in crisis, call 801-587-3000; help is close.

The university has additional excellent resources to promote emotional and physical wellness, including the Counseling Center (), the Wellness Center (), and the Women’s Resource Center (). Counselors and advocates in these centers can help guide you to other resources to address a range of issues, including substance abuse and addiction.

Family Leave and Dismissal Policies

Following the direction of President Pershing, departments are expected to produce their own policy language for graduate student family leave and dismissal. Below you will find some examples of these policies across University of Utah departments to help guide you in creating your own policies.

You may also want to look at the following reference materials which speak to different aspects of the issue. You can see there was a big push for this nationwide several years ago; we are definitely in the minority.